according to a article: In the early months of spring in 1999, Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart had been building a reputation as a strong tag team, with Debra as their manager. Management had planned the team to eventually split up, and Owen begin to lust after Debra, infuriating Jarrett, which would in turn plant the seeds for a bitter and very personal feud.
Owen, happily married in real life, didn't want his young children to see him cheating on his wife every Monday night, so he outright refused the angle. It was an honorable, if stubborn decision.
The result, was that Owen was saddled with the Blue Blazer gimmick. It was a persona he'd donned early in his career as a glorified jobber, and one he was forced to revisit. It was punishment for declining a well thought out angle, orchestrated to humiliate Owen, who has to don a superhero persona and spend much of his time mimicking the wrestlers in WCW.
Owen Hart had performed the stunt on two previous occasions in his career. Six months ago, Owen repelled from the ceiling at the 1998 Survivor Series in St. Louis. According to many, Vince McMahon was frustrated with how Owen's entrance came across on TV, as the "Blue Blazer" noticeably stalled and fumbled on the ground to break free of the contraption that had helped lower him. To the perfectionist in Vince McMahon, that simply wasn't good enough.
Bobby Talbert (the creator or the rig) specially bought a quick-release snap shackle for this occasion, allowing Owen Hart to easily break free once he had landed on the ground. Talbertt bought the equipment from a company called Amspec Inc., and all Owen would have to do is tug lightly on a release cord that would disengage the rappelling line from his harness. Upon landing, in one motion Owen would be able to break free and continue his superhero façade without any slip-ups. It was easy, at least that's how Talbert made it sound.
Bobby requested that Owen would rehearse the stunt, seeing as how the two had never worked together before. Owen declined. It was clear that he hated the stunt, and didn't want to do it for any more times than it was necessary. It is reported, that Owen tried to persuade management being lowered from the rafters wasn't essential to his character in the days leading up to the pay-per-view, only for Vince McMahon to insist otherwise As the backstage interview of the Blue Blazer was airing, Owen extended his elbows away from his body and tried to once again maneuverer his cape.
It was then that Owen accidentally triggered the quick-release. And it was then, that Owen fell 78 feet to his death, screaming all the way down, until he violently landed on his left side, shattering his left arm and causing fatal internal injuries, as the audience watched on in horror
Owen, happily married in real life, didn't want his young children to see him cheating on his wife every Monday night, so he outright refused the angle. It was an honorable, if stubborn decision.
The result, was that Owen was saddled with the Blue Blazer gimmick. It was a persona he'd donned early in his career as a glorified jobber, and one he was forced to revisit. It was punishment for declining a well thought out angle, orchestrated to humiliate Owen, who has to don a superhero persona and spend much of his time mimicking the wrestlers in WCW.
Owen Hart had performed the stunt on two previous occasions in his career. Six months ago, Owen repelled from the ceiling at the 1998 Survivor Series in St. Louis. According to many, Vince McMahon was frustrated with how Owen's entrance came across on TV, as the "Blue Blazer" noticeably stalled and fumbled on the ground to break free of the contraption that had helped lower him. To the perfectionist in Vince McMahon, that simply wasn't good enough.
Bobby Talbert (the creator or the rig) specially bought a quick-release snap shackle for this occasion, allowing Owen Hart to easily break free once he had landed on the ground. Talbertt bought the equipment from a company called Amspec Inc., and all Owen would have to do is tug lightly on a release cord that would disengage the rappelling line from his harness. Upon landing, in one motion Owen would be able to break free and continue his superhero façade without any slip-ups. It was easy, at least that's how Talbert made it sound.
Bobby requested that Owen would rehearse the stunt, seeing as how the two had never worked together before. Owen declined. It was clear that he hated the stunt, and didn't want to do it for any more times than it was necessary. It is reported, that Owen tried to persuade management being lowered from the rafters wasn't essential to his character in the days leading up to the pay-per-view, only for Vince McMahon to insist otherwise As the backstage interview of the Blue Blazer was airing, Owen extended his elbows away from his body and tried to once again maneuverer his cape.
It was then that Owen accidentally triggered the quick-release. And it was then, that Owen fell 78 feet to his death, screaming all the way down, until he violently landed on his left side, shattering his left arm and causing fatal internal injuries, as the audience watched on in horror